Debate on President’s Address: Desmond Tan on job opportunities, protection and resilience

The labour movement will always put workers first, as well as ensure that they will have better job opportunities, assurances, protection and the resilience to adapt, upskill and retrain themselves to remain relevant for the future, said Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office and Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Desmond Tan. Speaking in Parliament on Monday (Apr 17), he said NTUC will persist in its efforts to protect the rights and to advance the interests and aspirations of all workers. NTUC will also continue to renew its compact with workers. He highlighted ways in which NTUC has been engaging with workers across all ages, sectors and backgrounds, and adjusting its strategies to meet their needs. He said NTUC will focus on three main areas, namely expand career opportunities, enhance assurance and protection, and ensure career resilience. One of its efforts is in ensuring a sustainable supply of locals in the essential trades that have a direct impact on daily lives, such as plumbers, electricians and aircon technicians. Another key group that NTUC is engaging is youths, who Mr Tan noted are facing a more competitive education and employment landscape. He said the target is to have a workforce that is able to “dream big” and “aspire high” in a wide range of career opportunities. NTUC will be partnering with Institutes of Higher Learning to link up cohorts of students to different sectors. NTUC will also step up support for companies to redesign jobs, upskill and reskill workers and collectively achieve greater business and workers’ outcomes.